"Composition and Oil Painting Techniques" with Leslie Pratt-Thomas

Due to Covid-19 this event has been cancelled.  Registrants will receive a full refund of monies paid to date. We hope to be able to offer this program again in next year's workshop schedule.

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Please direct any questions to our workshop coordinator, Kate Heald, at kjheald@gmail.com or 803-920-7731.

Workshop Description (from the instructor)

When you stand across the room in your favorite art museum, what attracts you to one painting over another? Chances are the piece where the ‘shapes of color’ make a strong design will be the one to draw you in. Upon closer inspection that piece will need to have other enhancements to keep your attention. 

This workshop will begin with discussion and some exercises in composition and then will move quickly to paint application and technique.

Please join me!

About the Instructor

The paintings of Leslie Pratt-Thomas, though varied in content, portray the natural world through her unique life experience. Having lived in Canada, New England, Colorado and finally Charleston, SC she is "at home" painting a wide variety of subject matter. Her beginnings as a realist showcased her ability to capture light on a creek, a shorebird, or a shrimp boat; and she says now, after 20 plus years of daily painting, that she is just beginning to "get it." Armed with knowledge, dedication, and her own personal style, she is creating work that is garnering national and international recognition.

She is primarily self-taught learning most from her consistent weekly practice - painting "en plein air" (or in the open), and on these adventures is often accompanied by her canine companion. Early in her career she frequented weekly classes from local instructors and various workshops while pursuing the fundamentals of painting. She still travels annually to work with noted artists for specific skills she wishes to enhance and she is happy to share her knowledge.

For several years she has taught small groups on her studio, as well as occasional workshops. "Teaching the rudiments and subtleties of oil painting is pure pleasure; seeing my students' perspectives and growth reminds me of when I first started painting and began viewing the world through an artists lens - there is nothing like reliving that excitement with them."

Workshop Supply List

For Composition

Drawing Supplies - Pencil (HB or H), kneaded eraser, sharpener, and small sketchbook

View Catcher - can be ordered online (about $10 and worth it)

For Painting

Oil Paint (not student grade) 

Titanium white*

CadmiumYellow – light, lemon, pale*

Cadmium Orange

Cadmium Red Light

Alizarin Crimson*

Ultramarine Blue*

Phthalo Blue

Phthalo Green

  *Starred colors (primaries + white) are must haves. If you have the others, bring what you have or I will share. (This is the palette I have been working with for a few years.)

Three images printed out (for painting)

Landscape, still life or animal. No portraiture please.

Painting Surface 

2 – very inexpensive canvas panels for practice exercises in size 8x10 or 9x12. 

2 – supports of your choosing of reasonable quality, also 8x10 or 9x12 or 11x14. 

Brushes

3 brushes - sizes 2, 6, and 10. I like brights and filberts. Nothing fancy needed - bristle brushes are great. Bring more than three if you wish.

Palette 

I will provide. 

Palette Knife

Springy, for mixing paint. 

Turp Container

I like the jars with a metal coil in the bottom (about $7 at art supply store). If you bring a plain glass jar, please put a sponge in the bottom of it so sediment will be trapped in the bottom.

Turp

Odorless Mineral Spirits, preferrably Gamsol by Gamblin 

Medium, Bring what you like or none at all.

Misc.

Paper towels, small trash bag, latex/nitrile gloves, baby wipes. These items can be procured from grocery or drugstore.

Registration

Registration is open to CCAL members only until 4/2/20 for $125 ($50 minimum deposit required).

Registration is open to all artists beginning 4/3/20. Non-members pay $155 ($50 minimum deposit required).